The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza was bathed in sunshine as the opening game of Inter’s Serie A campaign began.
The stadium was half full, which was comparative to Inter’s performance on the day. This was because the game ended leaving more questions than answers and no doubt the debate on the club’s performance continued late into the Milanese night.
To set foot inside the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is an imposing proposition for any player. The huge vertical stands even when empty produce ghosts of passionate fans exalting over legendary names like Meazza, Matthaus, Fossati and Eto’o among others.
When Genoa arrived for their first game of the season and once the ghosts of the past were put to one side, there was an air of vulnerability about the Nerazzurri and a feeling that advantages could be taken. It was in this atmosphere that the game began and despite the fact that Inter ground out a victory, thanks to goals from Yuto Nagatomo and Rodrigo Palacio, it was hardly a resounding performance.
Walter Mazzarri joined from Napoli in the summer to coach the Milanese outfit. His main aim was to improve on their ninth place finish last term. There was much fuss made in the blue and black half of Milan as this is a man with the tactics and formation that had transformed the Neapolitans.
One of the key aspects of Mazzarri’s game was his reliance on Marek Hamsik. Hamsik had in the opening game of this season shown why he is crucial to the role of ‘playing in the hole’. Meanwhile, Inter showed that they do not have the same kind of player as they cannot rely on Ricky Alvarez being consistent, and although Mateo Kovacic has been tipped for big things, this is yet to be proven.
Inter had lined up with a 3-5-1-1 and not only did it look cautious, but it also enabled them to create little. The highlights of the first period were few if any and neither goalkeeper was made to work other than the odd goal kick. Half time saw Mazzarri switch to the 3-5-2 he is known for, with Alvarez sitting in the hole. This opened the game up in the second half, but had little if no resemblance to the cavalier Napoli side it was trying to emulate.
The change of formation at half time saw Fredy Guarin become a more pivotal player in Inter’s system and allowed him to gather the ball more often and bring the wing backs into play.
Jonathan and Nagatomo seemed to thrive much more on this counter attacking style of football and pushed forward causing Genoa problems. This paid dividends when Jonathan’s deflected cross was pushed in by Nagatomo with an untidy finish.
Guarin was becoming more of a threat and it was he who freed Palacio to add a late second. It was true that Andrea Ranocchia and Mauro Icardi could also have scored and were unlucky, but the performance still lacked punch and the directness that the Nerazzurri fans would have wanted.
Some credit must go to Genoa who defended well and prevented the game from ending three or four nil (a score line that would have flattered Inter). Instead the fans went home happy, but with questions on their mind.
Do the Nerazzurri have a player capable of playing in the hole? Will Mauro Icardi or Ishak Belfodil really contribute 15 plus goals and take the pressure off Palacio? Will these wing backs be good enough and tactically astute enough when playing Milan, Juventus or some of the other big teams? And just how one dimensional is Walter Mazzarri?
Inter can take heart from various other factors in the near future it seems. Money may come into the club for them to strengthen in January.
This will help as without being in Europe they will suffer lost revenue. The fact they are not in Europe means they are in a good position to concentrate on the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia, which could prove useful.
Icardi and Belfodil could yet be superb acquisitions. It is a season of discovery for the Nerazzurri and their fans are under no illusions that there are cracks in this team. The question is, can they fill them in time?
